NAFDAC Shouldn’t Punish Innocent Traders Due To The Actions Of A Few Criminals – Iduma Igariwey

The House of Representatives South-East caucus has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to reopen the Onitsha Bridgehead Market in Anambra State in the interest of the public.

The leader of the caucus, Iduma Igariwey (PDP, Ebonyi) recently made the appeal in Abuja during a press conference at the National Assembly Complex, and Nigerians have been reacting.

According to him, while he can only commend NAFDAC for its efforts in tackling merchants of death across the country, the agency should not punish innocent and legitimate traders due to the actions of a criminal few.

He added that shutting down the entire market has caused significant collateral damage, particularly affecting medicine users in the South-East and South-South regions.

His words, “While we acknowledge NAFDAC’s statutory role in combating fake drugs, we urge them to swiftly arrest and prosecute those responsible for their production and distribution.

The wholesale and indefinite closure of a market that supplies over 90 per cent of the medication needs of the South-East and South-South may not be the best approach. Many traders in the market are genuine businesspeople.

To avoid punishing all traders at Onitsha Bridgehead Market, which remains on lockdown, and considering the wider impact on public health, we urge NAFDAC to resolve the issue by prosecuting offenders and sanitising the pharmaceutical sector, whether in Onitsha, Aba, Lagos, or Kano.

We support NAFDAC in its fight against fake drugs, but reopening this market will allow legitimate traders to earn a living while ensuring access to genuine medication.”

WOW.